Join two ropes with a sheet bend
Rope too short? The sheet bend ties two ropes together, even a thick one to a thin one.
- Fold the end of the thicker rope back on itself to make a U-shaped bight.
- Push the end of the thinner rope up through the bight from underneath.
- Wrap the thin end around behind both legs of the bight.
- Tuck the thin end under itself, not back through the bight, and pull everything tight.
Tip: Both tails should end up on the same side of the knot. If they're on opposite sides, retie it. For ropes of very different sizes, wrap the thin end around twice.
Try it now: Join a shoelace to a phone charger cable or a strip of cloth, then tug on both ends.
Next crumbs
- 🪢 KnotsTie a reef (square) knotThe flat, tidy knot for bandages, bundles and bag tops. Two crossings, and the order is the whole trick.
- 🪢 KnotsTie a bowlineA fixed loop that won't slip or jam, and still unties easily after holding a heavy load.
- 🪢 KnotsTie an alpine butterfly loopA strong, fixed loop in the middle of a rope, with no ends needed. Wrap it around your hand and it's done in seconds.